Washing machine drive



Oct. 30, 1945. A EY 2,388,175

WASHING MACHINE DRIVE Filed April 11, 1944 Patented Oct. 30, 1945 UNITEDOFFICE j WASHING MACHINE DRIVE John Oakley, Springfield, Mass.,assigno'r to Perkins Machine and Gear Company, West Springfield, Mass, acorporation of Massachusetts Application April 11, 1944, Serial No.530,456

Cl. '74--.'i8)

6 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in washing machines and the likeand is directed more particularly to driving mechanisms therefor.

The principal objects of the invention are directed to driving mechanismwhich is particularly adapted for washing machines and is characterizedby frictionally engageable driving and driven members whereby a shaftfor an agitator may be driven back and forth through various angles.

Mechanisms of the type to which this invention relates are intendedto'be responsive to the load applied to an oscillatable shaft, such asthe agitator shaft, and are arranged for adjustment to accommodat oroperate on materials and fabrics of various kinds.

Some materials require more or less agitation than others and to thatend the novel construc' tion of this invention makes it possible toaccommodate the angle of oscillation of the shaft to th material orfabric being washed. That is the angle of oscillation may be varied fromzero to the maximum, even while the mechanism is in operation;

There is a tendency for the angle of oscillation, or strok of the drivenshaft, during oscillations to creep around the axis of oscillation. Thatis,while the mechanism may be adjusted to produce a certain angle ofoscillation the point of reversal of direction of oscillation at the endof the strokes moves around the axis of oscillation which isobjectionable. For instance where the oscillations are through a certainangle say sixty degrees, that angle of sixty degrees gradually worksaround a full circle.

According to this invention, means is provided to prevent movement ofthe angle around the axis of oscillation.

' Various novel features and advantages of the invention will beobserved from the following description of th invention in theform atpresent preferred.

In the drawing: i

Fig. 1 is a partial inverted plan view of a washing machine tubhavingthe novel features of the invention associated therewith;

Fig. 2 is an elevational view of the driven member of the mechanismshown in Fig. 1; and

Figs. 3 and 4 are plan views showing modified forms of the invention. 7

Referring now to the drawing more in detail, the invention will be fullydescribed.

A tub of a washing machine is represented by 2 in an inverted position.

A shaft 4 for the agitator of the washing machine extends through thelower wall 6 of the tub wherein it is 'journalled for oscillation and isalso journalled in a housing 8 the cover of which is not shown in thedrawing. The housingwis secured tothe tub; in the usual manner and-has ashaft 10 journalled therein that extends upwardly at a side of thetubfor operating the wringer mechanism of the washing machine.

Aimotor 12 supported by a bracket construction it fixed to the machinehas a shaft 16 coupled by a coupling I8 to a shaft 28 journalled in thehousing. ;A,worm 22 onsaid shaftlfl is in mesh with a gear 24 on theshaft l2 whereby it is rotated. i 1

, A driving member 26 pivoted at 28 to the gear 24 :is reciprocated backand; .-forth relative to a driven member 30 on agitator shaft 4. l

The driving and driven members 26 and 30 are provided with complementalfrictionally engageable surfaces whereby. the latter is driven back andforth by the former. r

A lever 32 fixed to ashaft 3.4 journalled in the housing has a guidemember 36 pivoted thereto for engaging member 26. A lever 38 fixed tosaid shaft 34 carries a yieldable member 40 fixed thereto at one endthereof and is acted upon by a cam 43 on a shaft 42. t l 1 The shaft 42-may be rotated thereby to cause cam 43. to acton spring and cause thelever 32 to exert more or less pressure to the driving memher and bringabout the desired angle of oscillation of the agitator shaft Themechanism described is slmilarto that described in U. S. Patent No.2,274,950 of- March 3,

1942 but the invention is applicable to other mechanisms havingsimilarly yieldingly engaged frictiona1 surfaces. I l

The mechanism may be adjusted to provide the desired angle ofoscillation for the shaft 4 from zero to maximum but as before statedthe said angle tends to move around the axis of oscillation of saidshaft. That is, the points of reversal at opposite ends of the strokemove around the center of the agitator shaft.

To prevent this a projection 50 of any desired form is carried by thedriven member 30 which engages an abutment 52 associated with thehousing 8. a l

During oscillation of the driven member. 30 and at one end of the strokethereof theprojection 50 brings up against the abutment 52 andthereafter thepoint of reversal of the oscillation is held or, preventedfrom creeping around the axis of oscillation.

While the angle of oscillation of the shaft may be varied the strokesremain in the same place with reference to a circle to overcome theobjections referred to.

When desired the impact of the projection and abutment may be cushionedby yieldable material applied to the projection or abutment or toboth.

According to themodification of Fig. 3, the abutment may take the formof yieldable means as a loop spring 60, such as shown in Fig. 3. The

It may be desired to reduce the resiliency of,

the spring to the point where the projection will not rebound when itbrings up against the abutment but will provide the; desired cushioningeffect.

According to the modification of Fig. 4, the abutment is yieldable andmay take the form of a detent l urged outwardly by a spring .12 adjustedby a member 14 threadedly engaging the housing 8 with a lock nut 16 inengagement therewith.

As the member is oscillated the projection 50 brings against theabutment for the purpose above referred to.

The detent may yield more or less according to the adjustment of thespring 12 to absorb the shock and eliminate noise.

The, detent may also yield so that the projection may pass by saiddetent should for some reason the projection bring up against the detentwith more than'the normal force. This may happen in, this way. Themachine may stop with the projection against the detent, as shown, thenwhen the machine is started the full force of the driving mechanism mayforce the projection against the detent which yields allowing theprojection topass thereby eliminating possibility of injury to theparts.

The invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departingfrom the essential characteristics thereof. Hence, the presentembodiments are therefore to be considered in all respects merely asbeing illustrative and not as being restrictive, the scope of theinvention being indicated by the appended claims rather than by theforegoing description, and all modifications and variations. as fallwithin the meaning and purview and range of equivalency of the appendedclaims are therefore intended to be embraced therein, 7

What it is, desired to claim and secure by Letters Patent of the UnitedStates is:

1. In a mechanism for operating the agitator shaft of a Washing machinecomprising in combination, a support, an oscillatable wheel for saidagitator shaft and a. reciprocable bar having complemental wedgingfriction faces whereby the wheel is oscillated back and forth by thebar, adjustable means for applying varying pressures to the wheel andbar whereby the oscillating strokes of the wheel are of an angledepending on the applied pressure, and means associated with the housingand wheel engageable as the latter oscillates in one direction toprevent oscillating strokes of the wheel from moving around the axisthereof.

2. In a mechanism for operating theagitator shaft of a washing machinecomprising in. combination, a support, an oscillatable wheel for saidagitator shaft and a reciprocable bar having complemental wedgingfriction faces whereby the wheel is oscillated back and forth by thebar, adjustable means for applying'varying pressures to the wheel andbar whereby the oscillating strokes of the,,wheel are of an angledepending on the applied pressure, andmeans associated with the housingand wheel engageable as the latter oscillates in one direction toprevent oscillating strokes of the wheel from moving around theaxisthereof, said means including a projecting member movable with saidwheel and an bination, a support, an oscillatable wheel for saidagitator shaft and a reciprocable bar having complemental wedgingfriction faces whereby the wheel is oscillated back and forth by thebar, adjustable means for applying varying pressures to the wheel andbar whereby the oscillating strokes of the wheel are of an angledepending on the applied pressure, and means associated with the housingand wheel engageable as the latter oscillates in one direction toprevent oscillating strokes of the wheel from moving around the axisthereof, said means including a projecting member movable with saidwheel and an abutment member, one of said members being yieldable.

4. In a mechanism of the class described comprising in combination, asupport, an oscillatable wheel and a reciprocable bar havingcomplemental wedging friction faces whereby the wheel is oscillated backand forth bythe bar, adjustable means for applying varying pressures tothe wheel and bar whereby the oscillating strokes of the wheel are of anangle depending on the applied pressure, means associated with thehousing and wheel engageable as the latter oscillates in one directionto prevent oscillating strokes of the wheel from moving around the axisthereof, said means including a projecting member movable with saidwheel and. an abutment member. one of said members being yieldable, andmeans to adjust the yieldability of said member.

5. In a mechanism of the class described comprising in combination, asupport, an oscillatable wheel and a reciprocable bar havingcomplemental wedging friction faces whereby the wheel is oscillated backand forth by the bar, adjustable means for applying varying pressures tothe wheel and bar whereby the oscillating strokes of the wheel are of anangle depending on the applied pressure, and engageable means associatedwith the housing and wheel engageable as the wheel oscillates in onedirection to prevent oscillating strokes of the wheel from moving aroundthe axis thereof when the means are engaged through normal force butyieldable when said normal force is exceeded to. allow the stroke tomove around the axis of the wheel.

6. In a mechanism of the class described comprising in combination, asupport, an oscillatable wheel and a reciprocable barhaving'complemental wedging friction faces whereby the wheel isoscillated back and forth by the bar, adjustable means for applyingvarying pressures to the wheel and bar whereby the oscillating strokesof the wheel are of an angle depending on the applied pressure, andengageable means associated with the housing and wheel engageable as thewheel oscillates in one direction to prevent oscillating strokes of thewheel from moving around the axis thereof when the means are engagedthrough normal force but yieldable when said normal force is exceeded toallow the stroke to move around the axis of the Wheel, said meansincluding a projection on said wheel and a spring pressed member on saidhousing.

JOHN OAKLEY.

